Screen cleaning apparatus



July 1, 1952 J. A. STREUN ,7

SCREEN CLEANING APPARATUS Filed July 25, 1950 4 Sheets-Sheet l INVENTOR.JOHN A. STREUN AT TO RN EYS July 1, 1952 J. A. STREUN 2,601,704

SCREEN CLEANING APPARATUS Filed July 25, 1950 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR.JOHN A. STREUN ATTORNEYS July 1, 1952 J. A. STREUN 2,601,704

SCREEN CLEANING APPARATUS Filed July 25, 1950 4 Sheets-Sheet 3 INVENTOR.J'OHN A. STREUN ATTORNEYS July 1, 1952 A, S EUN 2,601,704

SCREEN CLEANING APPARATUS Filed July 25, 1950 4 Sheeta-Sheet 4 INVENTOR.JOHN A. STREUN ATTORNEYS Patented July 1, 1952 SCREEN CLEANIN GAPPARATUS John A. Streun,

Sherman, Tex, assignor to Hardwicke-Etter Company, Sherman, Tex, a

corporation of Texas Application July 25, 1950, Serial No. 175,740

11 Claims.

The present invention relates to air cleanin mechanism particularlyadapted for use in a cotton ginning plant, although the invention mayhave applications in connection with other similar installations. Inparticular, the mechanism is intended for employment in association withcotton gins of the well known air blast type, wherein an air blast trunkline passes through and serves the gins of a battery, the air thusdelivered under pressure being conveyed to the conventional air blastnozzles which strip the lint from the saws, after the latter have passedthrough the ginning ribs. The construction of cotton gins of the airblast type is so well known as not to require specific descriptionherein, the nozzles of said gins serving to strip the lint from thesaws, and as stated, whereupon the released lint is conveyed by the airblast through a lint duct to the common lint flue, and onto thecondenser, as is well understood.

It will be further understood that the air nozzle which blows the lintfrom the saws, comprises a relatively narrow slit presented to the sawsand of length slightly greater than the saw cylinder. The slit oropening of this nozzle may be as narrow as three-sixteenths of an inch,and it is positioned close to the teeth of the saws, so that there isalways the possibility that accumulated lint in the atmosphere of thegin house, or other foreign matter, will be conveyed through the airblast trunk line to the nozzles, causing them to become clogged.

A primary purpose of the present invention is to provide a screeningassembly for this delivered air, which will remove the foreign matter,the said mechanism including an automatically adjustable cleaner for thescreen, to carry away the foreign matter which may accumulate on thescreen. More specifically, an object of the invention is to provide sucha cleaner for the screen, which operates from an auxiliary source ofsuction, through cleaning nozzles, with provision to protect thesecleaning nozzles against interference by the primary flow of air throughthe screen under the influence of the blower which supplies air to theair blast trunk.

A further object of the invention is to pro vide apparatus of thecharacter referred to above, which is capable of refined and automaticadjustment, in accordance with the volume and velocity of air beingmoved through the air blast trunk line.

Various other objects and advantages of the invention will be apparentas the description herein progresses.

Figure 1 is a schematic view of a part of a gin house installation,showing the arrangement of the cleaner in association with a battery ofgins.

Figure 2 is an end elevational view of the cleaner, showing itsassociation with the air blast trunk line leading to the first gin of abattery.

Figure 3 is a side elevational view of the air cleaning apparatus,showing its association with the blowerwhich supplies air under pressureto the air blast trunk line.

Figure 4 is an end elevational view of the cleaner of Figure 3, lookinginwardly from the left side of Figure 3.

Figure 5 is a partial vertical sectional view through the housing of theair cleaner, showing the arrangement of the parts mounted on therotating shaft in said housing.

Figure 6 is a horizontal sectional View taken along the lines 66 ofFigure 5.

Figure 1 is a view looking downwardly on a battery of gins G through Gwhich are shown merely in outline, it being understood that they are ofthe conventional air blast type. Extending through all of the gins ofthe battery is an air blast trunk line T, which is closed at itsterminal end by a cap 10. As is well known in the art, air underpressure delivered to the trunk T is caused to pass through the airblast nozzle in each gin, to strip the lint from the saws. The trunk '1leads from a conventional blower B, the fans of the latter being rotatedfrom any suitable source of power, as by a belt 12 connected with thedriven saw shaft [4 of the gins, at a velocity of approximately 2300 R.P. M., whereby air is blown through the trunk, building up pressurethrough the air blast nozzles to strip the lint from the saws. Air isadmitted to the blower B by way of a passage through a cleaner housingH, which has a screen mounted across the passage at the inlet end of thehousing, and foreign matter which accumulates on the outer face of thisscreen is removed by suction nozzles carried on a rotating tubularcleaning ele ment l6, auxiliary suction bein applied to the interior ofthe element l6, and to its nozzles, through an auxiliary pipe I 8 whichconnects with any convenient source of suction 20 in the gin house. Thesource of suction 20 may be a special suction blower. The blower 20 maysuitably be of the type having fan blades driven by any suitable sourceof power, such as by means of a belt 22 (Figure 1), likewise driven bythe saw cylinder shaft I4 of the battery of gins. While I have shown thesource of suction 20 located at the opposite end of the battery of gins,with respect to the cleaner housing H, it" will be understood that thissource 28 might be located to the right of the blower B, as viewed inFigure 1, and its fan would thenbe driven by 5 the source 20, as will beapparent from Figure to the fixed plate 42, in order to adjust thevolume 1 and the above description. 7 of air flowing through thehousing, and the trim Were it not for the cleaner comprising the tuofthe fan blades 40 i likewise adjusted, on the bular element I6, and theassociated mechanism shaft 38, to govern the speed of rotation of thishereinafter described in detail, it would be necesshaft. Thereafter,when the blower B is started, sary for the ginner to constantly attendthe a primary movement of air will be initiated inscreen, using a clothor the like to wipe the lint wardly through the housing H, dischargingfrom and fine trash therefrom. Should he neglect to the periphery of therotor of the blower, in order do so, the screen would become coated withforto build up pressure of air in the trunk T, and sign matter, thusretarding the flow of air through this movement of primary air will acton the the blower B and thereby reducing the pressure blades 40 to turnthe shaft 38. Rotation of the of air through the air blast nozzles inthe gins. shaft 38 will rotate the tubular cleaning element Suchreduction in pressure impairs the efficient [6 with its nozzles, andwill likewise rotate the operation of the gins, causing back lashing,the aligned air shields 59 and 52. The outward sucproper flow of airpast the saws being reduced to tion applied to the nozzles 46 and 48from the a point where the hilt remains on the saws, going source ofsuction 20 will cause the surface of the round and round with the sawteeth, injuring the screen to be cleaned, and power to rotate the shaftlint as it is repeatedly passed through the .seed 38 and the operatingdevices which it carries, is roll of the ginning breast. Continuedclogging derived from the rotor of the blower B, through of the screenwould ultimately causeabreak down the action of the induced primary flowof air in the operation of the gins, and the ginner would through thehousing. then be presented with the undesirable and time As shown inFigures 3 and 4, t e d plate consuming job of cleaning the ginning ribsas 2 s egmental opening 46 therethrou and Well as cleaning off thescreen. the movable plate 44 has a similar segmental As shown in Figure3, the housing H has an opening 48 therethrough, and these openings areouter cylindrical portion terminating in a cirarranged to b b ou i p lregister With cular flange 26, at its open end, and a screen 28 e anot rto adj e Space through Which is suitably bolted at its perimeter, tothis flange. r may p ss to t e b er T0 accomplish this The other end ofthe housing tapers inwardly as adjustment, a rotatable rod 50 having acrank at 3| (Figure 3) and it is secured in an suitable h n le end 52 isp ov t e inner d f this manner to a circular opening in the front end 40rod being thr d a a 4 Where it Passes of the blower B, at about thepoint 33, there hr h a nut 56, he l r being piv ll being" a cylindricalformation at the inner end h d to the movable plate 44 by a 2 this ofthe housing which is flanged to a t be 133 bolt passing through theopening 46 in the fixed extending-from within the housing, or any otherpl 4 The ou r nd of he r d 50 pa suitable manner of effecting a tightconnection through an opening in a bracket 64, and the latat this pointmay be employed. The housing is ter is mounted for limited pivotingmovement on supported at its forward end by a circular bracket the t orfl o t e ous n as Shown in 32, which carries a leg 34, adjustably c n tFigure 3, there being collars 65 secured on the rod with a footpiece'36of angular formation, resting and bearing against pp it sides f h on thefioor, as shown in Figures3and 4. bracket 64, to restrain the rodagainst longitu- Extending into the housing H, from the fordinalmovement through the Opening in the ward end thereof, is a rotatableshaft 38, and this a k t- Thus, when th handl 52 is tur d. shaft carriesa rotatable tubular cleaning elenut 55 is caused to move toward and fromthe merit I6, as well as a windmill f com ri in handle, and through theconnection 60, this causes blades 40 which are adjustably connected tothe 55 a relative circular movement of the disc 44 with shaft at a pointnear its inner end, within the p t t h plate r di w r y the housing.Disposed between the screen and the gree of alignm n f he p n s in thesedi c is fan 48, there is an adjustable air register, comegulated, toovern the volume of air flowi prising a fixed plate 42 and a circularlyadjustthrough e ho As Shown in F ure 4, a able contiguous plate 44,these plates having 00- recess isprOVided 't fixed plate 42 111 theoperating openings therein movable into and out IOWeI' ge of its Opening5 o receive the conof register, to regulate the volume of air whichnetting 59 W the Plates are j d to is permitted to flow inwardly to theblower B. the f1111 Open Position- As stated, the tubular cleaningelement I6 is It Willbe understood h any ppr p i nummounted for rotationon the outer end of the be? of registering p s 5 d 43 may be proshaft38, and it hasopposite radially extending Vided, Spaced around thePlates 42 d a portions which carry suction nozzles 46 and 48, ShOWIl inu e V the restricted open ends of which are presented I As shown in.Figure 3, the fixed plate 42 of toward the screen, being spaced adistance of apthe register 0 mp is Permanently Carried proximatelyone-eighth of an inch therefrom. by the housing, between circularlyflanged mem-, Also mounted on the shaft 38, but inside of the hers illand i2, and this plate thus provides a screen 28, are air shields orbafiie elements '50 foundation for supporting the rotatable shaft and52, the latter being simple plates mounted 38, as now to be described.on the shaft 38 in alignment with the tubular ele- Referring to Figure5, the fixed plate 42 is cenment l6 and with the nozzles 46 and 43, andro- 5 trally reinforced by a disc 1 and opposite beartatable therewithon the shaft 38. These air shields prevent the inwardly flowing streamof primary air, from interfering with the local action of the nozzles 46and 48, acting by suction outwardly, to remove foreign matter from theouter surface of the screen.

With the arrangement as generally described above, the air register isadjusted by relative movement of the apert'ured plate 44 with respecting housings I6 and I8 are bolted to the central portions of the plates42 and 14, by means of bolts 80. The housings 1-6 and T8 each haveoutwardly opening ball bearing chambers, and these receive suitable ballbearing structures 82, there being sleeves 84 and 86 keyed or other Wiserigidly secured to the shaft 38. Thus, a bearing is provided fortheshaft 38, centrally thereof, and this bearing is supported from thehousing frame, through the fixed plate 42 and its mounting, asdescribed. The movable plate 44 is centrally apertured as at BB, and itis held in close contact with the fixed plate 42 by a central resilientretaining clip 90 secured by the bolts 80, as shown in Figure 5.

As further shown inFigures and 6, the air shield 50 for the cleanernozzles is of angular cross-section, and itis rigidly carried on a hub82 which is rigidly bolted to the shaft 38 as by the bolts 94. The outerface of the shield is flat, and as shown in Figure 6, it is in alignmentwith the nozzles 46 and 4B, and is spaced about one-eighth of an inchfrom the inner face of the screen 28. The nozzles 45 and 48 taperinwardly toward their inner ends and at their outer ends they areflanged as at 98 where they are secured as by welding to the outer wallof the tubular element I-B, there being openings 98 through the wall ofthe tubular element in alignment with the nozzle passage. With respectto the cooperative arrangement of the cleaning nozzles 46 and 48 and theair shields 50, it will be understood that by reason of the action ofthe blower B, there will be a rather strong primary flow of air inwardlythrough the screen 23, depending on the speed or rotation of the blower,and the adjustment of the plate 44 as heretofore described. However, thecleaning action of the nozzles 4'. and 48 depends on a suc tion throughthe nozzles acting in a direction opposite that of the primary movementof the air through the passage in the housing H, so that in the absenceof some protective agency, the nozzles would not function effectively toremove foreign matter from the outer face of the screen. It is inrecognition of this difficulty that I have provided the bafile elementsor air shields 5D, the outer faces of which substantially cover theopenings of the suction nozzles 48 and 48, and provide a local rotatingdead space in front of the suction nozzles, so that the cleaning actionof the latter will be efiective.

As further shown in Figure 5, the fan blades 40 are carried on rods I02,the inner ends of which are adiustably fitted in cylindrical sockets I04in a flanged nut I66 which is keyed and bolted to the shaft 38. Rods I02have reduced portions I08 which receive the inner ends of securing boltsI10, whereby these bolts may be loosened to permit turning of the rodsI02, and consequent angular adjustment of the fan blades 40 as will beapparent from Figure 6. Thusjthe fan blades 4%) maybe trimmed orangularly adjusted with relation to the shaft 38, and this adjustmentwill permit selective variation of the speed of the shaft 38 responsiveto the primary movement of air through the passage in the housing,caused by the operation of the rotor of the blower B. Thus, as a resultof the permissible adjustment of the movable plate 44 of the register,with respect to the fixed plate 42 thereof, and the adjustment of thefan blades 40, as just described, the cleaning action of the nozzles 46and 48 may be controlled, to suit the existing conditions.

As further shown in Figure 5, there is a hollow fitting II2 secured onthe outer end of the shaft 38 beyond the screen 28, as by a bolt H4, and

opening or cut-out H8 in its outer wall, being thereby open to suctionexerted through a square conduit I20 which is held in fixed position butpresented to the outer open end of the fitting H2, there being aleather-lip like gasket I22 positioned between the outer end of thefitting H2 and a cylindrical engaging nipple I24 carried by the lowerend of the square conduit I20. As shown in FigureB, the conduit I20 issupported by an arm I26 carried by brackets I28 fixed to the upper endof the housing H.

As previously indicated, the blower B may be of conventionalconstruction, comprising a h0llow housing of generally circularconfiguration as shown in Figure 4, and having a rotor R sealed to anentrance pipe I33 in the housing and. having appropriately curved fanblads I30, which are designed to draw the primary air into the center ofthe rotor, and discharge it from the open periphery of the rotor intothe hollow interior of the blower, the air being discharged through theextension' I32 (Figure 4) and into the end of the trunk T which isflanged to the lower housing, as at I34 (Figure 4).

As best shown in Figure 3, one cleaning suction nozzle 48 is positionednear the outer end of one radial extension of the tubular element It,while the other suction nozzle 48 is positioned near the center ofrotation of the tubular element I6. Thus, the respective suction nozzlessweep through concentric areas, one within the other, and thussubstantially the entire surface of the screen is acted upon andcleaned.

As indicated in Figures 1 and 3, the rotor of the blower is carried on ashaft I30, which is mounted in a bearing I40 on the frame of the blower,and. this shaft may be driven in any suitable man- 'ner, as by anindependent electric motor, or by a belt I2 (Figure 1) connected withthe power or saw shaft of the battery of gins.

The operation of the apparatus will be clear from the above description.By adjusting the opening in the damper or register, the volume ofprimary air may be increased, thus increasing the pressure in the airblast trunk and the velocity of air delivered by the air-blast nozzles.The pressure of the air may be built up to 9'to 20 inches of water or 4/2 to 10 ounces pressure. The damper thus sets the required amount ofpressure. The fan blades are adjusted to set the speed to suit the flowof air passing through the blades to the blower. The fan speed isregulated to furnish all the air required for both maximum and minimumair pressure to be used.

Iclaim:

1. Apparatus of the character described comprising a hollow housing forthe passage of air, a screen mounted across theinlet to said housing,means for generating a primary movement of air through said screen andsaid housing, an air suction operated screen cleaner mounted formovement across the outside surface of said screen, a baffle elementmounted for movement across the inside surface of said screen inalignment with said cleaner to locally counteract the effect of saidprimary movement of air through said screen in areas of saidscreenadjacent said cleaner, and means for simultaneously moving saidcleaner and said baille element over the surfaces of said screen.

2. Apparatus of the character described comprising a hollow housing forthe passage of air, a screen mounted across-the inlet to said housing,means for generating a primary movement of air through said screen andsaid housing, a screen cleaner comprising an air suction nozzlepresented toward and. mounted for movement across the outside surface ofsaid screen, means for applying suction to said nozzle and to the areaof said screen to which it is presented, an air shield mounted formovement across the inside surface of said screen in alignment withsaid-nozzle to locally protect its suction from interference by saidprimary movement of air through said screen, and means forsimultaneously moving said nozzle and said shield over the surfaces ofsaid screen.

3. Apparatus of the character described comprising a hollow housing forthe passage of air, a screen mounted across the inlet to said housing,means for generating a primar movement of air through said screen andsaid'housing, a screen cleaner comprising an air suction nozzlepresented toward and mounted for movement across the outside surface ofsaid screen, means for applying suction to said nozzle and to the areaof said screen to which it is presented, and means mounted for movementwith said nozzle for locally counteracting the effect of said primarymovement of air through said screen in areas of said screen adjacentsaid nozzle.

4. Apparatus of the character described comprising a hollow housing forthe passage of air, a screen mounted across the inlet to said housing, ablower for generating a primary movement of air through said housing, ashaft extending into said housing, an air suction operated cleanermounted on said shaft adjacent the outer end thereof for rotation acrossthe outer surface of said screen, a baffle element mounted on said shaftadjacentsaid cleaner for movement across the inner surface of saidscreen in alignment with said cleaner to protect the action of thelatter from interference by said primary movement of air, and meansresponsive to said primary movement of air for rotating said shaft.

5. A construction in accordance with claim 4 wherein said meansresponsive to said primary movement of air is adjustable to regulate thespeed of rotation of said shaft.

6. Apparatus of the character described comprising a hollow housing forthe passage of air, a screen mounted across the inlet to said housing, ablower for generating a primary movement of air through said housing, ashaft extending into said housing, an air suction operated cleanermounted on said shaft adjacent the outer end thereof for rotation acrossthe outer surface of said screen, a baflle element mounted on said shaftadjacent said cleaner for movement across the inner surface of saidscreen in alignment with said cleaner to protect the action of thelatter from interference by said primary movement of air, means on saidshaft adjacent the inner end thereof responsive to said primary movementof air for rotating said shaft, and an adjustable air register mountedWithin said housing across the passage therethrough between said screenand said means on said shaft.

7. Apparatus of the character described comprising a hollow housing forthe passage of air, a screen mounted across the inlet to said housing, ablower for generating a primary movement of air through said housing, ashaft extending into said housing, a cleaner mounted on said shaftadjacent the outer end thereof for rotation across the outer surface ofsaid screen, said cleaner comprising a tubular member disposed at rightangles to said shaft and having portions which extend on opposite sidesthereof, said extending portions having suction nozzles thereinpresented toward the outside face of said screen, an air shield mountedfor movement across the inside surface of said screen in alignment withsaid nozzles to locally protect their suction from interference by saidprimary movement of air through said screen, means responsive to saidprimary movement of air for rotating said shaft and simultaneouslymoving said nozzles and said air shield, and means for applying suctionto the interior of said tubular element.

8. A construction in accordance with claim 7, wherein said nozzles areof shorter radial length than the radial lengths of said extendingportions of said tubular element, and wherein one nozzle is positionedadjacent to said shaft and the other nozzle is positioned adjacent theouter end of its extending portion.

9. A ginning plant comprising a battery of air blast gins having acommon air blast trunk line leading therethrough, a blower at the end ofsaid'trunk line remote from the gin for drawing air from the atmosphereinto said trunk line, a hollow housing having an air passagetherethrough connected with said blower and constituting the air inletthereto, a screen mounted in said housing across its passage, a cleaneron said housing comprising a suction nozzle mounted for movement acrossthe inlet side of said screen, an air shield element mounted thereinadjacent to the air delivery side of said screen and in alignment withsaid nozzle, means therein for simultaneously moving said nozzle andshield across the surfaces of said screen, and an auxiliary suction pipeleading from said nozzle and connected with a suction line in the ginhouse.

10. A construction in accordance with claim 9, wherein said housing hasan adjustable air register extending across its passage on the airdelivery side of said screen.

11. A construction in wherein said housing has means therein for movingsaid nozzle in response to the flow of air through said passage inducedby said blower.

JOHN A. STREUN.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file ofthis patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS 7 Number Name Date 637,519 Mertins Nov. 21, 18991,168,493 Ginn Jan. 18, 1916 1,827,183 Bennett Oct. 13, 1931 1,860,697Traviss May 31, 1932' 2,036,534 Muirhead Apr. 7, 1936 2,129,312 StreunSept. 6, 1938 2,534,171 Kirby Dec. 12, 1950 FOREIGN PATENTS NumberCountry Date 1,155 Great Britain of 1906 343,085 Great Britain Feb. 13,1931 accordance with claim 9 V

